''Winterhawk'' is a 1975 American

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

film co-written, produced and directed by

Charles B. Pierce Charles Bryant Pierce (June 16, 1938 – March 5, 2010) was an American film director, screenwriter, producer, set decorator, cinematographer, and actor. Pierce directed thirteen films over the span of 26 years, but is best known for his cu ...

. Starring Leif Erickson,

Woody Strode Woodrow Wilson Woolwine Strode (July 25, 1914 – December 31, 1994) was an American athlete and actor. He was a decathlete and football star who was one of the first Black American players in the National Football League in the postwar era. Aft ...

Denver Pyle Denver Dell Pyle (May 11, 1920 – December 25, 1997) was an American film and television actor and director. He was well known for a number of TV roles from the 1960s through the 1980s, including his portrayal of Briscoe Darling Jr. in se ...

L.Q. Jones Justus Ellis McQueen Jr. (August 19, 1927 – July 9, 2022), known professionally as L.Q. Jones, was an American actor and director. He appeared in Sam Peckinpah's films ''Ride the High Country'' (1962), ''Major Dundee'' (1965), ''The Wild Bunc ...

Michael Dante Michael Dante (born Ralph Vitti; September 2, 1931) is an American actor and former professional minor league baseball player. Early life Dante was born Ralph Vitti in Stamford, Connecticut. Growing up, he would sneak into a local movie theater ...

and

Elisha Cook Jr. Elisha Vanslyck Cook Jr. (December 26, 1903 – May 18, 1995) was an American character actor famed for his work in films noir. According to Bill Georgaris of TSPDT: They Shoot Pictures, Don't They, Cook appeared in a total of 21 film ...

, the story concerns an Indian chief from the Blackfoot tribe who attempts to get help for his tribe who have been infected by

smallpox Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by variola virus (often called smallpox virus) which belongs to the genus Orthopoxvirus. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (WHO) c ...

. He is betrayed by the people from whom he seeks help.

About the film

The film is set in the early 19th century. Winterhawk, the chief of a

Blackfoot tribe The Blackfoot Confederacy, ''Niitsitapi'' or ''Siksikaitsitapi'' (ᖹᐟᒧᐧᒣᑯ, meaning "the people" or " Blackfoot-speaking real people"), is a historic collective name for linguistically related groups that make up the Blackfoot or Bla ...

and played by Michael Dante, seeks help for his smallpox infected tribe by attempting to trade furs. In a double cross, the furs are stolen.

RogerEbert.com ''RogerEbert.com'' is an American film review website that archives reviews written by film critic Roger Ebert for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' and also shares other critics' reviews and essays. The website, underwritten by the ''Chicago Sun-Times' ...

br>Winterhawk
/ref> Following the double cross, which involves the theft of his furs and pelts and the killing of his two companions, he and his braves come back to the town. He takes his revenge by kidnapping a white woman, played by Dawn Wells,''Milwaukee Sentinel'' August 23, 197
Page 6 FILMS IN REVIEW 'Winterhawk' Visual Beauty By PETER MORRIS
/ref> and her young brother. He is then pursued by a posse.

Reviews

David W. Reid of ''

The Spokesman Review ''The Spokesman-Review'' is a daily broadsheet newspaper based in Spokane, Washington, the city's sole remaining daily publication. It has the third-highest readership among daily newspapers in the state, with most of its readership base in ...

'' referred to the film as an honest tale. Reviewer Peter Morris of the ''

Milwaukee Sentinel The ''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'' is a daily morning broadsheet printed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where it is the primary newspaper. It is also the largest newspaper in the state of Wisconsin, where it is widely distributed. It is currently ...

'' commented on the high standard of cinematography with the surrounding landscape that made it a nature film as well as a lively adventure.

Marshall Fine Marshall Fine (born November 7, 1950) is an American author, journalist, filmmaker and film critic from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Early life Fine grew up in Richfield, Minnesota, a Minneapolis suburb, until he was 13. His family subsequently moved ...

, staff writer for the ''

Lawrence Journal-World The ''Lawrence Journal-World'' is a daily newspaper published in Lawrence, Kansas, United States, by Ogden Newspapers. History Though the ''Journal-World'' title came into existence in 1911, the paper dates itself to 1858, according to the ...

'', gave a very negative review of the film, and said it had the most unappealing character actors anyone would hope to assemble.''Lawrence Journal World'' September 27, 197
Views and Reviews, ''Pervasive Badness'', A word for Winterhawk: Ugh By MARSHALL FINE
/ref>

References

External links

* {{IMDb title, 0075432
Rogerebert.com - ''Winterhawk''
1975 films American Western (genre) films 1975 Western (genre) films 1970s English-language films Films directed by Charles B. Pierce 1970s American films